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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29343873">Yes or No</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/magicspacehole/pseuds/magicspacehole'>magicspacehole</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bad Education [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Hogwarts Professors, Humor, Missing Scene, One Shot, Very Important Conversations</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 13:01:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>836</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29343873</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/magicspacehole/pseuds/magicspacehole</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A vitally important discussion between friends. </p><p>Companion piece to Bad Education, chapter 5.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bad Education [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2122854</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Yes or No</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Peggy set down her tea, her face serious. It was an important matter. "But <em>would</em> you?"</p><p>Ilania snorted. "Are you kidding me? Bloody hell. Who wouldn't?"</p><p>"Minerva?" Peggy prompted.</p><p>Minerva stared intently at the staff room table. She could feel her cheeks going red. "I'm not discussing this during work hours."</p><p>They rolled their eyes at her, neither of them particularly surprised by the answer.</p><p>"Anyway, I think it's about bloody time," said Ilania. "I'm tired of being looked at by horrible old men. <em>I </em>want to be the one gazing at something delectable every day."</p><p>"That's quite an age gap," Peggy noted.</p><p>"Do you think I care? Christ, I wouldn't care if it were twice what it is."</p><p>Minerva looked away. They noticed, of course. They always noticed when she was being a prude.</p><p>"<em>Delectable</em>," Ilania whispered in her ear, putting a ridiculous amount of emphasis on the word.</p><p>"Stop it…"</p><p>"Minerva, dear," said Peggy, "we've had this conversation before. It's alright if you don't like the opposite se-"</p><p>"I am not suggesting that I don't like… Look, I simply feel that it is an immature and needless conversation to have. Especially in the workplace, especially concerning-"</p><p>Ilania cut her off. "Min, I understand. I do. But we <em>live</em> here."</p><p>"What does that have to do with anything?"</p><p>"We <em>live</em> here for <em>ten months</em> out of the year."</p><p>"That's not-"</p><p>"<em>Ten months</em>," she repeated. "We need <em>something</em> to talk about that isn't work-related once in a while or we will go mad. I told you, I'm still considering handing Dippet my notice and then burning down the Astronomy Tower on my way out. I daydream about it frequently, in fact… Is that what you want, Minerva? Do you want me to burn down the Astronomy Tower?"</p><p>"I'm not discussing it."</p><p>They were silent for a while as Ilania tried to figure out how to force Minerva to answer and Minerva tried to figure out how to escape.</p><p>Peggy sighed. "Anyway, I don't know. You don't get 'em like that very often. I would have to say… yes. I would. Many… <em>many</em> times. Multiple times a day if I could."</p><p>Ilania laughed loudly. "Good lord, Peg."</p><p>"What? It's the pregnancy. It makes you… you know. Particularly passionate."</p><p>"Yeah, let's call it that."</p><p>Dee walked in carrying a stack of papers and smiled when she saw them. "What are we talking about?" she asked, joining the women at the table and tossing her papers aside.</p><p>"We're doing Yes or No."</p><p>"Ah. And who is the- oh, right. Of course."</p><p>Ilania nodded. "Of course. And your answer?"</p><p>Dee made a "tsk" sound. "I have eyes, don't I?"</p><p>"Is that a yes?" asked Peggy.</p><p>"Have you ever heard the expression 'like a tree?'"</p><p>They all burst out laughing.</p><p>All of them, except Minerva.</p><p>"Can we <em>please</em> not talk about this anymore?" she begged, already knowing the answer.</p><p>Ilania folded her arms and gave Minerva a stern Minerva-like look. "No, because <em>you</em> still haven't answered the question. So, <em>would</em> you?"</p><p>"I told you, I'm not discussing this during work hours."</p><p>"So… yes?"</p><p>"I did not say yes."</p><p>"But if it <em>wasn't</em> during work hours, would you say yes?" asked Peggy.</p><p>"I have no comment on the matter."</p><p>"We'll assume 'yes,' then," Ilania said with a smile.</p><p>"Don't-"</p><p>"Come on!" Peggy moaned. "I'm married. I have to live vicariously through you."</p><p>Dee shook her head. "See, Min? You're letting Peggy down. Don't disappoint Peggy."</p><p>"Shut up."</p><p>"Do you not have a romantic bone in your body?" Ilania asked, feigning concern.</p><p>Peggy stifled a giggle. "Well, it's not really romance, is it?"</p><p>They all laughed while Minerva went back to staring at the table with a fierce intensity. "This is highly unprofessional," she told them.</p><p>But they were determined, now. "It's a simple question," Ilania insisted. "Yes or no?"</p><p>"I'm not answering that."</p><p>"Yes or no?" said Dee.</p><p>"You really must stop-"</p><p>They all interrupted her at the same time. "Yes or no?"</p><p>"FINE! YES, I WOULD SHAG-"</p><p>At that moment, the door to the staff room opened and Tom walked in.</p><p>"Good lord," Minerva muttered, hiding her face in her hands.</p><p>Ilania, Peggy, and Dee erupted into laughter, and Tom stared at them like they had gone mad.</p><p>"What?" he demanded.</p><p>They laughed even harder.</p><p>"<em>What</em>?" he said again.</p><p>More laughing.</p><p>"I'm going to work now," Minerva mumbled, almost running to escape the staff room.</p><p>"What was that about?"</p><p>"Nothing, nothing," Ilania breathed, wiping tears from her eyes.</p><p>He gave them a confused look before walking over to change the study hall schedule.</p><p>They all watched him.</p><p>Carefully.</p><p>When he turned around to leave, they were still staring. And not one of them cared that he saw.</p><p>"Why are you staring at me?"</p><p>"Are we?" said Ilania quietly. The confusion on his face was priceless.</p><p>"Right…" he said. "I'm leaving now."</p><p>He turned to leave and they watched him go.</p><p>"I'm telling you," said Dee.</p><p>Ilania nodded. "Mm."</p><p>"Like a <em>tree</em>."</p>
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